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Frederick William Faber
| birth_place = Calverley, Yorkshire | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Theologian, Hymn writer | language = English | nationality = British | period = | tradition_movement =Convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism | main_interests = Hymns and theology | notable_ideas = | notable_works = | spouse = | children = | influences = | influenced = | signature = | signature_alt = | signature_size = }} Frederick William Faber (28 June 1814 — 26 September 1863) was an English poet, hymnist, and theologian. His best known work was Faith of Our Fathers'. Life Faber was born at Calverley, Yorkshire, where his grandfather, Thomas Faber, was vicar. He attended the grammar school of Bishop Auckland for a short time, but a large portion of his boyhood was spent in Westmorland. He afterwards went to Harrow and Balliol College, Oxford. In 1835, he obtained a scholarship at University College. In 1836, he won the Newdigate Prize for a poem on "The Knights of St John," which elicited special praise from John Keble. Among his college friends were Dean Stanley and Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne. In January 1837, he was elected a fellow of the National Scholars Foundation. Meanwhile, he had given up the Calvinistic views of his youth, and had become an enthusiastic follower of John Henry Newman. In 1841, a travelling tutorship took him to the continent; on his return, he published a book called ''Sights and Thoughts in Foreign Churches and among Foreign Peoples (London, 1842), with a dedication to his friend the poet William Wordsworth. In 1843, Faber accepted the rectory of Elton in Huntingdonshire. However, there was a strong Methodist presence in the parish and the Dissidents packed his church each Sunday in an attempt to ridicule his Catholic leanings. Many of his parishioners were reputed to be living in sin and the village was notorious for its double standards.http://owenspencer-thomas.com/articles/local-history/frederick-william-faber Local History article published by Canon Dr Owen Spencer-Thomas in Ely Ensign. Accessed 18 August 2010. Few people were surprised when, after a long, drawn out mental struggle, he left Elton to follow his hero Newman and join the Roman Catholic Church in November 1845. He translated Saint Louis de Montfort's classic Marian book True Devotion to Mary into English and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1847.The Blessed Virgin Mary in England by Brother Anthony Josemaria 2008 ISBN 0-595-50074-9 pages 173-175 He founded a religious community at Cotton Hall, also known as St Wilfrid's, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, called Wilfridianshttp://www.seattlecatholic.com/a060726.html Seattle Catholic Website. Accessed 18 August 2010. (which ultimately merged in the Oratory of St Philip Neri, with John Henry Newman as Superior). In 1849, a branch of the oratory—subsequently independent—was established in London, first in King William Street, and afterwards at Brompton (Brompton Oratory), over which Faber presided until his death. In spite of his weak health, an almost incredible amount of work was crowded into those years. He published a number of theological works, and edited the Oratorian Lives of the Saints.The Encyclopaedia Britannica: Entry for Frederick William Faber Family He is the great-uncle of Geoffrey Faber, co-founder of the publishing house "Faber and Gwyer" which later became "Faber and Faber".Biographical note on Geoffrey Faber on jacket of his book Oxford Apostles published by Penguin Books 1954 edition Writing Though Faber was a Catholic writing for Catholic adherents, many of his hymns today are sung by Protestant congregations. Faber was a supporter of congregational singing and wrote his hymns in an age when English Catholics did not necessarily feel comfortable singing the hymns of their Protestant neighbors. So Faber, as a Catholic, expanded their hymns suitable for congregational singing and encouraged the practice.http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/f/a/b/faber_fw.htm Hymntime website. Accessed 18 August 2010. Publications In addition to many pamphlets and translations, Faber published the following works: Poetry * The Cherwell Water-Lily and other poems (1840) * Sir Lancelot: A Legend of the Middle Ages (book-length poem, 1842; revised edition, 1857) * The Styrian Lake and other poems (1842) * The Rosary and other poems (1845) * Poems (1856) Prose * Sights and Thoughts in Foreign Churches and among Foreign People (1842) * An Essay on Beatification, Canonization, and the Congregation of Rites (1848) * All for Jesus, or The Easy Ways of Divine Love (1853) * Growth in Holiness, or The Progress of the Spiritual Life (1854) * The Blessed Sacrament, or The Works and Ways of God (1855) * The Creator and the Creature, or The Wonders of Divine Love (1857) * The Foot of the Cross, or The Sorrows of Mary (1858) * Spiritual Conferences (1859) * The Precious Blood, or The Price of Our Salvation (1860) * Bethlehem (1860) * Notes on Doctrinal and Spiritual Subjects (2 volumes, 1866) Hymns Among his best-known hymns are: * 'Faith of Our Fathers' * 'Father of Mercies, Day by Day' (1849) * 'I was wandering and weary' * 'Jesus is God, the glorious bands' (n. 298, The Church Hymn Book (1872)), written in 1862 * 'My God, how wonderful thou art' (n. 195 in Hymn Book), written in 1849 * 'O Jesus, Jesus, dearest Lord' (n. 754, Hymn Book), written in 1848 * 'O paradise! O paradise' (n. 1443, Hymn Book), written in 1849 * 'Oh, come and mourn with me awhile' (n. 464, Hymn Book), written in 1849 * 'Oh, gift of gifts' (n. 676, Hymn Book), written in 1848 * 'Sweet Saviour, bless us were we go' * 'There's a Wideness in God's Mercy' * 'The Greatness of God' * 'The Will of God' * 'The Eternal Father' * 'The God of my Childhood' * 'The Pilgrims of the Night' * 'The Land beyond the Sea' * 'The Shadow of the Rock' See also * List of British poets References * J.E. Bowden, Life and Letters, (London, 1869), * F.A. Faber, A Brief Sketch of the Early Life of the late F.W. Faber, D.D., (London, 1869), by his brother Notes External links ;Poems * from "The Eternal Word" ;Hymns * 88 Most Popular & Representative Christian Hymns From Frederick William Faber * O paradise. by Rev. F. W. Faber. by C. B. Hawley. For high voice. From Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection ;Prose ;About * Biography of Faber * frederick william Faber in the Catholic Encyclopedia * Excerpts and commentary on the book "Kindness" by Faber,including many of his famous quotes, located in Chapter 3 of this website. * Original article is at Frederick William Faber. Category:1814 births Category:1863 deaths Category:Christian hymnwriters Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism Category:English Catholic poets Category:English hymnwriters Category:English Roman Catholics Category:English theologians Category:People educated at Shrewsbury School Category:Oratorians Category:Roman Catholic writers